French premium leather goods brand Ateliers Auguste will launch its very first temporary store in New York on May 24. Open until June 17, the store is located on Elizabeth Street, in the Nolita district.

The Monceau handbag by Ateliers Auguste, €345 - DRAccording to Laurent Valembert, who co-founded Ateliers Auguste with his brother Xavier in 2012, opening in New York wasn’t a random choice: “We currently generate 75% of our sales through direct channels, both our Paris store and our e-shop, where we have a sizeable US clientèle. The latter is due to the fact that there is a long-established interest in the USA for premium men’s brands, with labels like Ralph Lauren.”

Should this first foray in New York prove successful, Ateliers Auguste plans to open a permanent store in Manhattan, with a dedicated e-store and delivery service.

Ateliers Auguste began by creating functional, high-quality men’s leather goods, and launched its first women’s line last February. For now, the collection features four handbags, but it is eventually expected to account for half of the label’s range. “We had a growing demand for women’s products, so in the last year and a half we worked to make our bags suitable for female customers,” said Laurent Valembert.